On this day (August 11) in 1998, Vince Gill released The Key. It was his eighth studio album and his first to reach the top of the chart. All four of the album’s singles reached the top 40 of the country chart. “If You Ever Have Forever in Mind” was the sole top 10 from the LP. It peaked at No. 5 on the Hot Country Songs chart. It’s not surprising that the singles weren’t as successful as those from his previous albums, though. Gill wasn’t chasing chart success with this album. Instead, he was getting back to his roots.
Gill went into The Key with the desire to break away from the pop-leaning country music that was saturating the charts and radio waves. He wanted to record a traditional-sounding country album. So, he wrote or co-wrote all 13 songs on the LP. Then, he enlisted some incredibly talented musicians to play on the record. For instance, legendary pianist Hargus “Pig” Robbins played keys, and Randy Scruggs provided acoustic guitar. Additionally, Gill’s longtime steel guitar player, the late, great John Hughey, played on the record.
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[RELATED: Vince Gill’s “The Key to Life” and the Heartwarming Inspiration Behind It]
The album features one of the most touching songs in Gill’s discography. It closes with “The Key to Life,” a tribute to Gill’s late father, Stan, who died a year before the record dropped. In the song, he reveals that his dad inspired him to become a musician.
Vince Gill’s Love for the Hard Country Sound
Earlier this year, Vince Gill opened up about his love for the “hard country” sound during a conversation with Charlie Worsham for his 50 Years from Home series. Worsham called The Key “a love letter to country music” and asked if Gill held the pure country sound closer to his heart than any other style.
“Probably,” Gill said without hesitation. “It’s what I’m most moved by, I think. I love pop music and R&B. I love all kinds of music and have been given the gifts to be able to play it and sing it or produce it. So, I don’t have to do one thing,” he continued. “But, if somebody says, ‘You’ve got one left to hear, what’ll it be?’ It might be ‘Mama Tried’ or ‘Together Again.’ It might be something in that world that takes no prisoners,” he explained.
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